Dear Member,
I am grateful for the kind messages of congratulations we have received after the WSF Presentation in St. Petersburg, which saw Squash shortlisted as one of the three sports for the full IOC Session to vote on in Buenos Aires on 8th September 8 2013.
I am sure, all of you will appreciate and agree that the opposition is formidable and that the politics will be intense. Squash has advantages – the small number of athletes we would enter (64), courts in iconic locations and the only one of the three sports that would be a new sport for the summer Olympic Games.
At the World Games, which are scheduled to be held in Cali from 25th July to 4th August 2013, George and I will lobby with as many IOC members as possible.
However, beside all this, what we need from you is for you to re-double your efforts to contact the IOC member in your Country or the IOC members you know, meet up with them, invite them to tournaments, ask them to present prizes, anything that will give you an opportunity to talk to them about the merits of Squash and why they should vote for Squash. We, of course, will provide you with our message for you to put across. Having your best players meet up with them including the top Juniors, is an excellent starting point.
Many of you have contributed towards the campaign. Needless to say, this next stage is going to cost another considerable sum, so please give time to fund raising and in particular look for any individual Squash enthusiast who would be willing to make a sizeable donation and be recognized as a Friend of World Squash in support of the Bid. Details are on the website at: http://www.worldsquash.org/ws/?page_id=6278
We have only three months to go. We shall continue with the excellent publicity that Squash has been receiving, communicating with all the IOC members and preparing for the Presentation in Buenos Aires.
I do wish to emphasise that till date one match is finished and the next and far tougher one is about to begin. Join us in this match and we may surprise the “wrestling is inevitable” pundits and see our dream come true.
Yours in sport,
N. Ramachandran
President
Tel: +91 44 2434 0252/54
Mob: +44 (0)7775 446 020
